This disclosure relates to releasable attachment devices of the type used to fasten, retain, or latch together components of an apparatus or a structure that are to be separated or released under controlled conditions.
Disclosed herein is a releasable fastener system comprising a male portion comprising a support and at least one protrusion element fixedly attached to the support; a female portion comprising a support and at least two parallel actuator strips projecting from a surface of the support, wherein the at least two parallel actuator strips are spaced apart to form an opening equal to or less than a lateral dimension of the protrusion element, and wherein each one of the at least two parallel actuator strips comprise a flexible strip and a piezoelectric material disposed on portions of the actuator strip; and an activation device coupled to the at least two actuator strips, the activation device being operable to selectively provide an activation signal to the piezoelectric material.
A process for operating a releasable fastener system comprises frictionally engaging at least one protrusion element of a male portion with an opening provided by at least two parallel actuator strips projecting from a surface of a female portion, wherein the at least two actuator strips comprise a flexible strip and a piezoelectric material disposed on portions of the actuator strip, wherein the flexible strip is fixedly attached at one end to a stationary support and is fixedly attached at an other end to a non-stationary support, and wherein the portions of the actuator strip comprising the piezoelectric material contact the protrusion element; and applying an activation signal to the piezoelectric material to increase the opening between the at least two actuator strips and release the protrusion element.
In accordance with another embodiment, a process for operating a releasable fastener system comprises aligning at least one protrusion element of a male portion with an opening provided by at least two parallel actuator strips projecting from a support of a female portion, wherein the at least one protrusion element comprises a head portion and a body portion, wherein the head portion has a greater lateral dimension than the body portion and forms a recess portion at an interface of the head and body portions, and wherein the at least two actuator strips comprises a flexible strip and a piezoelectric material disposed on portions of the flexible strip; pressing the head portion of the at least one protrusion element into the opening to mechanically engage the recess portion of the at least one protrusion element against the actuator strips; applying an activation signal to the piezoelectric material to bend the flexible strip and increase a size of the opening between the at least two actuator strips; and removing the at least one protrusion element from the at least two actuator strips.
The above described and other features are exemplified by the following figures and detailed description.